Super foods and convenience are two things that make health foods the most valuable nowadays, it seems. I love supporting small scale companies and health movements as much as the next guy as do I love shopping around stores such as Whole Foods, but to be bluntly honest: THIS STUFF IS FRIGGIN’ EXPENSIVE!!!

I make an effort to continue my nutrition education through programs like Precision Nutrition, research articles, current health trends, and through cooking. I stress cooking to those who want to be healthier because you are more aware of quality ingredients you put into your foods, you tend eat less, share more, save a good amount of money, and it happens to be therapeutic in a world that steals our focus every second of the day. So instead of just preaching about how much better it is to cook and create your "super food" super diet, I went ahead and did it myself. This recipe rivals the bars and snacks that contain ingredients that are scientifically proven to be godly nectar on the cellular level.

I will give a brief rundown on the health benefits of each ingredient below the recipe, but for now here's the rundown for the super food sphere or bar you decide to make based off this recipe, which takes about 20-30 minutes total.

You will need:

· A coffee grinder, blender or processor that can finely chop nuts

· Mixing bowl and spoon

· A cookie tray for freezing or dehydrating or aluminum foil

· Assorted nuts and seeds. I use pumpkin, chia and flax seeds with almonds and walnuts and peanut butter.

· Banana or blueberries as a mashed base. Feel free to add raisins, coconut, cranberries, goji berries, or mulberries if available and within your price range.

· Honey (RAW and ORGANIC!!!) – support your local beekeepers PLEASE

· Buckwheat and raw rolled oats (both are gluten free)

· Raw cacao or 75% dark chocolate. I pick one without dairy. Baking chocolate is also an option.

· Super food or herbal powders. This recipe uses organic kelp and organic spirulina powder. You can affordably purchase these off of a wholesale herbal wholesale website.

The Steps

1. Grind up your choice of whole nuts along with the super food powders. I used two handfuls of nuts for one batch (the picture shows two batches worth). Empty the powdered mixture into a bowl.

2. Mash up 3/4 of a banana, 2 tbsp honey, a small box of rasins (or other berry/fruit) and 2.5 tbsp of peanut butter in a separate bowl until mushy and unified. (The measurements allow the consistency not to be to mushy. If it is add less banana)

3. Combine both bowls and add in 2.5-3 tbsp of each type of seeds. Mix very well until the powder form turns to a glue-like mixture.

4. Spread out buckwheat and make golf-ball sized spheres out of the mixture and roll in the buckwheat until spheres are covered. Lightly press the buckwheat into the sphere.

5. Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Lightly cover spheres in chocolate and then cover in the raw rolled oats.

6. Place spheres spaced out on cookie sheet and place in then freezer. Let soften in fridge or room temperature before eating and enjoy!

The Benefits:

Spirulina- I consider this to be the soul of this recipe. These blue - green algae have reportedly 60-85% protein, compared to steak which is 20% as well as containing ALL of the essential and nonessential amino acids. It has chlorophyll, vitamins D, B, E, and K, linoleic acid (omega 3 fat components, and why fish have these healthy fats from eating algae like spirulina). There are many benefits to ingesting for diseases and vitality.

Kelp-this super seaweed absorbs minerals and electrolytes from seawater, contains calcium, and produces iodine. Iodine is not produced by the human body, but parts of the body such as the thyroid require it for healthy function. Most people show deficiencies, so kelp up!

Chia Seeds-these has-been commercial stars (CHIA PETS!!!) contains as much omega-3's in 3.5 tbsp as a 32 ounce salmon slab. It is also a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, fiber, antioxidants, and has a reputation for managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Flax Seeds-these guys have more lignans (powerful antioxidants and plant estrogen characteristics) than most foods, sometimes up to 400%! Also great omega-3 and fiber content.

Peanut butter-a source of healthy fats and proteins as well as Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, potassium and magnesium.

Banana-potassium and crazy amounts of health benefits. Read 24 of them here:

WHY these ingredients? I have spent a LOT of time in health food stores comparing bar to bar, super food snack to super food snack, and I have seen a very apparent trend. Each food “flaunts” its own claim to super food fame, displaying the names and phrases of often a SINGULAR super food ingredient. Looks for ones like “Health Warrior” that advertises chia seeds, “Raw Revolution” with spirulina and peanut butter variations, “Nature Valley” with nuts and oats, “Kelp Krunch” with kelp…you get the point. But why succumb to the flaunting of ONE super food and just include ALL OF THEM for an unstoppable force of nutrition?

By combining the ingredients I love, I have created a monster with more Omega-3's, antioxidants, amino acids, fiber, and protein than anything I have yet to buy. Do your own research and see what you like health-wise and taste-wise in different bars, and CREATE YOUR OWN! Empower yourself and don’t be a slave to the “health food sales pitch”. VIVA LA NUTRITION!

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Ryan’s passion for the awakened body began while studying at California Lutheran University, where he received a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. His post collegiate career boasts over 15 qualifications and certification relating to human movement, nutrition, mindset, and soft-tissue therapy. This includes the Fellowship of Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute, mentorships with the Institute of Motion, and currently the Anatomy Trains’ Kinesis Myofascial Integration Training. A proud member of the global community, Ryan has worked with physiotherapists in The Gambia of West Africa to NFL players and actors in Hollywood. Ryan believes improving people’s knowledge and relationship with their body will prevent unnecessary surgeries, optimize movement, and innovate preventative healthcare. His recent involvement with Virtual Reality, Motion Capture, 3D Scanning, and Biometric data aligns with his vision for making movement easy for the 21st century.? In 2011, he became a NASM and NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and graduated with an AS in Kinesiology and an AS in Natural Science from Moorpark College in 2012, as well as completing their intensive Fitness Specialist Program. He is a Trigger Point Therapy Master Trainer and incorporates Myofascial Compression Technique as well as Sandbag Training to create a unique, hollistic fitness regime. ? Ryan constantly seeks out continuing education and stays up to date on modern research, technology, and methodology. He is currently attending California Lutheran University in pursuit of a Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science, and plans to obtain a Doctorate in Physical Therapy soon after.